Sins from the Past
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: Damon's past catches up with him. Main Characters: Damon, Katherine, Stefan
1. Intro and Prologue

Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the Property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story has its roots in the first season of the Vampire Diaries. The canon characters mentioned below appear in several different seasons and from the Stefan's Diaries Books. I included them in case any readers are new to the TV series and books.

Time frame – the story is set three years in the future from the day Elena woke up a vampire, which is the start of season four. Since I'm writing this as season four begins it can, of course, not be canon.

Canon Characters Mentioned

Bree – a witch, former lover of Damon Salvatore, dear friend of Lee and Lexi. Killed when Damon Salvatore ripped out her heart because she betrayed him to Lee. Owner of Bree's Bar in Atlanta, Georgia.

Cassie Gallagher – a pretty red haired pale skinned girl who helped rescue Damon from her father. Damon killed her when he realized Stefan loved her.

Gloria- a powerful witch, based in Chicago, who was well know to the Original brother and sister, Klaus and Rebekah. She was killed by Katherine Pierce while torturing Stefan to reveal the presence of the Original witch's amulet.

Joanna – one of the matriarchs of the Bennett witch clan, mother to Lucy, first cousin twice removed to Pauline.

Lee – Lexi's lover. He voluntarily made the choice to turn vampire so he could spend eternity with her.

Lexi – True name Alexia Branson. She was Stefan's best friend and periodically helped him through his ripper phases. She was 350 years old at the time of her death at Damon's hands.

Lucy- a witch, cousin to Bonnie. Part of the extended Bennett clan. Former friend of Katherine Pierce (Katerina Petrova) who turned against her when she realized she would be fighting against her cousin. She helped the Salvatore brothers defeat Katherine.

Pauline - one of the matriarchs of the Bennett witch clan, niece to Sheila (Grams). Bonnie Bennett's grandmother. First cousin twice removed to Joanna.

Rose - An old vampire who offered Elena to Elijah as a way to settle a debt with the Originals. When her lifetime companion was killed by Elijah she joined forces with the Salvatores. She took Damon to a contact she knew for information - Slater.

Slater – vampire turned in 1974. Lived in Richmond, Va. Owned a coffee shop known and patronized by vampires because he had special UV filtering glass windows so the vampires could socialize during the daylight. He killed himself under compulsion from Elijah. He kept records of the genealogy of almost all vampires

~x~

Damon idly strolled through the large first floor common room at the boarding house. He was expecting Elena to return from her outing with Caroline soon and he was just killing time.

"Hmmm! Let's have a tiny little tongue wetter." Damon leisurely poured himself a glass of bourbon from the decanter always kept on the sideboard. As he took his first sip his phone rang and he pulled it out of his jacket pocket with the glass still at his mouth. His interest was piqued when he saw unknown caller on the screen.

"Damon Salvatore speaking. How may I help you?" He was in a good mood so his tone was jaunty.

"Lucy. You might remember me in connection with a certain moonstone." The voice on the other end of the phone was tense.

Damon's eyebrows rose. "I do. I do. To what do I owe the honor of this phone call?" He was still amiable but cautious now.

"To the fact that you have someone looking out for you." The voice stayed curt.

"Sooooo?" Damon drawled and then sipped his bourbon.

"You need to leave town pronto. Your life is in danger. Don't wait. If you have to leave a note for Elena do it, but go." The voice was deadly serious.

"Really, why would I do that?" Damon's voice and smirk reflected his skepticism.

"There are witches and vampires after you." The voice was almost whispering and rushed.

"Why hasn't Bonnie warned me then?" Damon countered impatiently.

"There's a code of honor among witches, a kind of protocol. Knowing Bonnie has intervened on your behalf before, Joanna and Pauline were approached first. They've agreed to have the family stay out and Bonnie has to go along with it unless she wants to be estranged from the rest of us. It could also endanger her mother."

Damon straightened up, totally focused now. "If it's a witch pact then why are you telling me this?"

Lucy's voice was harsh. "Because the young child of a very close friend has disappeared and I got a phone call saying that I had pulled a nasty deal a couple of years ago and payback's a . . well you know what. So I asked what I could do to get her back. This call and one other thing gets back my friend's child and wipes out the ill will I generated between me and a former friend."

Damon was quick to connect the dots.

"Katherine." Damon said softly. "I don't trust her."

"She said you would say that and my answer was to be . . Are you going to take a chance that it's not true? If it is, do you think your vampire friends will stay out of it? Are you going to try to fight protecting a three year old and perhaps the four year old vampire at the same time or do you think Elena and Caroline will just stand by and let you get killed?"

Damon was quiet for a moment. "How do I know that nothing will happen to Elena if I go?"

"The interested parties are not, let's say interested, in anyone but you. If they stay out of it nothing happens to them." Lucy said impatiently. "Listen, I can't be caught in this. Travel out of Mystic Falls on the highway, until you get to the truck stop in the next town. They'll be a plastic bag taped to the bottom of the dumpster at the back of the restaurant. Drink what's in it and it will block you from a blood spell to track you for forty eight hours."

She emphasized each word. "Burn . . that . . bag. If I get caught . . if I'm traced . . I'm on my own. My relatives can't help me. I could cause a witch feud that will endanger everyone I care about."

The fear in Lucy's voice got through to Damon. "Please! You owe me. I helped you and your brother, not just my cousin, and I'm paying for it now. Don't leave any trace. I don't want my family hurt anymore than what I've already done to them."

Damon, face serious, nodded, and then realized she couldn't see the nod on the phone. "I'll do it."

Lucy's sob of relief was audible. "I made my call. I'm turning over this throw away phone with your number on it as proof of my call. It's your only warning and the last thing I was to tell you was that your brother's in Shreveport, Maine."

"Why should I c . . . " Damon stopped when he realized the connection was cut. He looked at the call ended screen before gulping down the rest of the bourbon. Moving at vampire speed he headed first to the basement refrigerator and packaged a cooler full of blood bags.

He swooshed upstairs and threw clothes into a back pack, a stash of cash, and then raced downstairs. He thought for a moment and quickly grabbed a pen and paper. He wrote.

**Stay out of this. Not your problem.**

He left the note on the table with the bourbon glass holding it down. He got in his blue convertible and raced through town. As he reached the town center he slowed down as he caught sight of a familiar face on the sidewalk.

Bonnie looked up briefly as he rolled down the window. "Protect them."

She didn't reply, just nodded briefly and kept walking, grim faced.

Bonnie texted Caroline some instructions. Caroline managed to keep a straight face as she read, only the widening of her eyes betraying her alarm. Elena, concerned, said. "Everything okay Care?"

"Oh yeah! Let's stop by Bonnie's on the way home. She needs us to help her move something." Caroline's voice was extra perky and cheerful.

Elena smiled in return as she pulled out her phone. "Sure, I'll just call Dam . . " Elena never realized the neck break was coming. Caroline quickly got her into the car and over to Bonnie's. Between them they kept her out until the following morning.

~ x ~

At precisely two a.m. the front and back doors to the Salvatore House were crashed through and three vampires moved at top speed throughout the house. They converged back near the front door where two witches waited.

"He's not here."

The taller witch said fiercely. "She better not have told him."

The other one calmed her down. "No. She knows she wouldn't be able to hide it from us. We'll check but I know it wasn't Bonnie." She thought for a moment. "So who would be helping him? I didn't think there was a person on earth outside the few he knows in Mystic Falls that would support him." She frowned. "The brother might, but he's practically been wiped off the face of the earth. He hasn't been heard from in at least two years."

One of the vampires said fearfully. "You don't think the Originals . . ?"

He was quickly cut off. "They haven't been seen in three years. They left for Europe. You know word would have spread if they were back. Besides, he's no friend to them."

The tall handsome man with the rough beard threw the stake he brought with him so hard, it pierced the wallboard above the oak paneling. "We need to track him down. I've waited long enough."

The shorter witch with the fine milk coffee colored skin assured him. "Don't worry Lee. We'll get him."


	2. First Stop

Jenny, the boyishly slim, jean clad figure behind the bar glanced up at the old tarnished wall clock and yelled.

"Closing time."

For the most part she was ignored but she banged on the dinged, scarred wooden bar and the guys grumbled but gradually got up and slowly weaved out the door.

Linda, the short dumpy waitress, mumbled. "Thank God." She sighed and hollered. "Stefan, check the men's crapper for strays."

"Will do." Stefan cheerfully replied.

"God my aching back." Linda sat for a moment in one of the better chairs in the old run down bar.

The name of the place was actually Bertie's Fine Restaurant and Bar but that was a misnomer. There was a grill but the only food available was hamburgers and hot dogs pulled from the freezer along with the frozen buns or bread kept in case someone ordered a grilled cheese. It wasn't real cheese of course, just that fake stuff that had a year outdate. The fryer hadn't worked in years so there were no fries, only packaged chips. No one in their right mind ate here unless they were really starving and/or really, really drunk. Shots and beer were the staples. A bottle of red and white wine was kept behind the bar in the unlikely event a tourist accidentally landed in town but it was a rare occurrence. Everyone, staff and patrons, wore jeans and T-Shirts which changed to flannel shirts in winter.

The little seaport town of Shreveport, Maine was off the beaten path. The men worked the fishing boats and were gone from days to sometimes weeks at a time. The wives and kids stayed home; the kids catching the bus each morning to travel an hour to school. The wives traveled the same hour to either work in one of the nearby tourist frequented towns or an hour and a half to the regional cannery.

The bar catered to the local clientele. Everyone in the small town knew everyone else's business. There was nothing else to do in this isolated place but gossip. There was no Dish, no wireless, no cell phone connections, and only three TV channels. If a house had a phone it was a land line and Bertie's even had an honest-to-goodness pay phone which was frequented by the families that couldn't afford to have a phone in their home.

Everyone knew Stefan and Jenny weren't married but were shacking up. They knew they had moved North cause one of the high falutin specialist doctors in Boston had told Jenny she had both skin cancer and some type of auto something disease that made it impossible for her to be out in the sun. She got a terrible rash and her skin blistered.

She and Stefan worked the night shift and slept most of the day. They even had one of those cars with the dark windows. She was usually bundled up during the day in a hooded sweatshirt and rarely went out during the day in the brief summer. If there were any errands to be run in town; pumping gas, picking up and dropping off mail at the small post office, or buying the few things available in the little town market, then she often stayed in the car.

They knew once a month the two of them took off to go to a doctor in the big city. What they didn't know was that they actually met a contact who sold them outdated blood bags from various hospital blood banks. He was a junkie who needed the money and was compelled to not reveal their names. The townsfolk also didn't know about the big refrigerator down in the basement kept behind a lot of the junk left by the various tenants in the old run down rented home that was not much more than a cottage.

They had come at a perfect time to the small town. Bertie was diagnosed with lung cancer and had one lung removed and the other one wasn't working that good. He had to take it easy and Jenny and Stefan needed jobs. He soon found that they were scrupulously honest and hard working. Stefan was also a good bouncer. He seemed to have a knack for breaking up or stopping fights before they got really serious. When the guys came in after a long haul at sea they were often rowdy and contentious and brawls used to be common. Stefan put a stop to that and saved Bertie a lot of money formerly spent repairing broken furniture and glass.

Jenny was a fantastic bartender. There wasn't much to do other than pour shots and beers but she could easily handle the rougher members of the crowd and there was no drunk she couldn't talk down. She was popular in the little town because she always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. She had the knack of bringing out the best side of people.

Linda and Sue, the two waitresses, soon learned to appeal to her or Stefan when there was a problem. Life was much easier for them when the duo started working. Bertie gradually stopped coming to the bar at all, spending his time at the one gas station in town, sitting outside talking with his cronies, playing checkers or cards.

"I knew it." Linda shook her head, disgusted, when Stefan came out dragging a vomit covered man from the men's room. "For the love of God you drunken sot, what's the matter with you now Zeke?"

"My wife left me for that cop she met when we had the traffic accident." The man moaned.

"That was three years ago. Get over it." Linda had no patience with him.

Stefan dropped him on the floor where he continued to moan about his loss.

"I'll take him home." Stefan assured her.

His mutterings intermingled with their conversation, but no one paid him any attention.

Linda sighed. "Well I better get up off my butt or we'll never get out of here." She put her hands on the table, using her muscular arms, developed from years of carrying beer mugs, to heave herself up.

"How could she leave me for that bum?"

Jenny replied. "Take off Linda. We'll clean up."

"I was always good to her."

Stefan added. "I agree. Take off."

Linda hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"I miss her so much."

"Yeah, we're sure." Jenny replied.

"Thanks guys. My back is killing me. I'll make it up to you." Linda gratefully went behind the bar and grabbed her pocketbook. "See you guys tomorrow."

"Bye." "See ya."

Thankfully Zeke passed back out so Stefan and Jenny didn't have to listen to him anymore. They worked quickly and efficiently, Stefan bringing all the tankards and empties to Jenny to wash or pack up for recycling. He quickly wiped the tables and put the chairs up so he could mop the sticky beer splashed floor.

Jenny emptied the cash register and packaged up the IOUs and locked them in the safe. Bertie couldn't be bothered with credit cards and still allowed guys to run up tabs when they came back with an empty boat which meant no pay. They always paid them off when the fish were running and they could make some money.

When they were done Stefan pulled Zeke up to his feet.

He blinked owlishly and then managed. "Hi Stefan." Before passing out again.

Stefan slung him over his shoulder while Jenny just shook his head pityingly.

They turned out the lights and closed the doors. No one actually locked a door in this town. They all knew each other and as broke as some of them were, they considered each other neighbors and neighbors didn't steal from neighbors.

When they got to the boarding house where Zeke rented a room Stefan opened the front door depositing him in the hallway. He didn't want to disturb the rest of the renters and the woman who owned the house was used to finding him on the floor. Since he paid his rent on time and didn't cause any other problems then occasionally puking on the floor, which he cleaned when he sobered up, she never complained.

Stefan and Jenny walked hand in hand to their small rented cottage about a mile more down the road. It was a beautiful night with a gorgeous full moon. The briny smell of the ocean was heavy in this town and as vampires they could feel the salt in the air. Stefan in particular loved the smell of fish and the lonely cries of the seagull. This quiet life suited him.

As they passed the various run down homes and apartments they commented quietly on the townsfolk who were still awake. Their vampire hearing made it seem like they were in the room with them.

"Crap, Gracie and Tommy are fighting again." Jenny was concerned.

"Don't worry." Stefan assured her. "He was so drunk when he left it won't be long before . . " He didn't need to finish the comment as they heard him slump to the floor. "See." Stefan teased.

Jenny chuckled and then her eyebrows rose as she picked up moans and groans. She and Stefan exchanged amused glances as they passed an apartment shared by a young married couple. It had only been a year and they had been apart for two weeks and were anxious to make up for lost time.

They passed a crumbling old, seagull excrement smeared statue of Jesus Calming the Sea of Galilee. Sailors were a superstitious lot and there were pennies and other coins surrounding the shrine as well as notes attached to it. Jenny, paused briefly in front of it, while Stefan patiently waited. She had done this every day for the two years that they had lived in this town and he was used to her little quirk.

As they approached the door to the cottage they both stopped at the door sensing an intruder. They looked at each other without speaking. They quietly backed up and each one picked up a wooden stake left as a precautionary measure on the edge of the small front lawn kept carefully mown by Stefan. The stakes didn't cause any comments because all the yards were filled with litter or equipment or some type of miscellaneous junk.

They nodded at each other and then burst into the cottage. One light was on in the living room next to a shabby comfortable armchair that Damon was ensconced in. A glass of their whiskey was in his hand. Stefan stopped when he saw him but Jenny nearly staked him. It took both men to stop her from thrusting the stake through his heart and it was only deflected at the last moment to rip through his shirt and make a shallow gash on the right side of his chest.

"Jenny" Stefan protested. "It's my brother."

Damon hissed at the sting and his ripped shirt and then swore.

Jenny looked defiant for a moment and then grudgingly said. "Sorry, didn't realize it."

Damon's eyes narrowed at the, to him, obviously insincere apology.

Stefan looked at her astonished. She shrugged. "He caught me by surprise."

Stefan held on to her for a moment longer, waiting for her body to relax, before releasing her. He then turned his attention to his brother who had sat back down in the chair. Hands on hips he asked. "How did you find me?"

"What? No welcome brother? Haven't seen you in two years now but it's still great to see you?" Damon's lively sarcasm hadn't changed as far as Stefan could tell. "Missed you and want to give you a big hug!"


	3. Revelations

"So how did you find me?" Stefan repeated while Jenny flung herself on to the small sofa that was the only other seating in the little living room. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest and she stubbornly refused to look at Damon.

"That's a discussion for another time." He said with a significant glance at the obviously upset Jenny. "What kind of greeting was that, by the way? I thought these little piss ante towns still had things like Welcome Wagons. Do you always rush into your home with stakes in hand?"

Stefan shrugged. "No one we know would be in our house. People here just don't do things like that. So you had to be an out-of-towner and we can't take a chance after that slayer business in Mystic Falls. They never give up so it's kill them first or be killed."

"Wow!" Damon joked. "Little brother you have actually gotten some sense into that head of yours. When did that happen?"

"Stop with the jokes. Why are you here? It's never good news when you track me down." Stefan seemed resigned to hearing bad news.

"Well, you're right about the news. I have it from a reliable source that there are some witches and vampires out to kill me. So I got out of Mystic Falls so nobody there would get hurt."

Stefan's brow furrowed. "What? Why?"

Damon shrugged. "I have no idea who or why?"

"That makes no sense." Stefan was clearly puzzled.

Jenny made a disgusted grunt.

Damon turned to her. "You obviously have something to say, so say it!"

"Can you really be that stupid?" was the sarcastic reply she aimed at him and then she turned her head away again and shrugged, saying to the wall. "What are you saying? Of course, he's that stupid."

"So tell us, Miss Charm School!" Damon said impatiently.

Stefan sat down next to her and quietly pleaded. "Jenny, please tell us what you know."

Jenny made no attempt to mask her dislike as she turned her gaze back on Damon. "Four years ago you killed a vampire called Lexi? Do you recall that?"

Stefan hung his head in shame while Damon had the grace to look apologetic for a moment before he shrugged it off.

"Yeah. And her boyfriend and I had it out. Thought it was over and done. So what?"

"And when you left that bar they found a witch named Bree on the floor with her heart next to her. Did that slip your mind or do you remember that too?" Sarcasm dripped from Jenny's tongue.

"What?" Stefan was shocked, looking from Jenny to Damon. "Damon, you didn't?"

Damon and Jenny's gazes were locked on each other. Damon finally broke away, turning his head towards his brother as he explained. "She set me up for Lee to get me and then lied to me."

"Oh My God!" Stefan got up and walked around as if he didn't know how to handle the news. He ran his hand through his hair as he paced.

Jenny was bitter. "You know what was the really sad part? Everyone who knew Bree knew how much she loved you. As soon as she had too much to drink she would tell everyone how you were the love of her life and how you broke her heart." A bitter laugh escaped her. "Guess you made it a reality, didn't you?"

Damon's mouth was set in a grim line and he didn't reply. Jenny couldn't help herself. She had to get it out and her words were pure venom.

"You strung her along and used her to try to get your precious Katherine out of the tomb and then when she couldn't do it you dumped her like she was a piece of dirt."

Damon and Stefan looked at each other, stunned. Damon leaned forward in the chair. "How do you know about Katherine?"

Jenny just sighed and the bubble of her anger seemed to deflate. "Oh my God, you two are so self involved and oblivious. Everyone knows the Salvatore brothers and their constant bickering. How they were turned by Katherine Pierce. How they both loved her and spent the rest of their existence fighting each other because of her. Your story amuses a lot of vampires." She said quietly. "I knew who you were when I saw you in that chair. I was at Slater's when you and Rose came in."

Damon shrugged. "Don't remember seeing you."

"Of course, you didn't. You wouldn't even look at someone like me unless I had something you needed."

Damon couldn't help himself. "Yeah, I have discriminating taste and you're not exactly in the beauty queen category."

Stefan intervened at that point. "Stop it, you two." He stopped his pacing and went and sat down next to Jenny. "Why now? Why after all this time are they coming after my brother?"

"It was only a matter of time. It got delayed because of everything that happened with the doppelganger. Everyone knew when Elijah came to town. Vampires are a closed community and unless you're a self involved idiot." She looked pointedly at Damon. "you're part of the grapevine. Word spreads fast."

She laughed again. "Almost every vampire in Richmond blew town when Elijah killed Slater and when a couple of new ones came in and were found dead Virginia emptied out."

She frowned. "And then the rumor spread that Klaus came and was going up and down the east coast. Rumors were flying. Hybrids. It was wild. Then a slayer showed up. Everyone went into hiding. But it's been three years now and rumor has it that the Originals are in Europe and the slayer was killed."

She turned back to Damon and passionately said. "Did you think everyone would just forget about it and let it go? Lexi was probably the most well loved vampire that ever existed. She was everyone's friend. And Bree? Everyone passed through Bree's bar. She was totally tolerant of vampires and she had witch friends."

She pointed at Damon. "Your sins are gonna catch up with you!"

She gave Damon a hard look. "To be honest I could have killed you just now myself."

"I don't think so, but you're welcome to try again." Damon was never one to back down from a challenge.

"Stop it." Stefan said tiredly, holding his head in his hands. He looked up. "Bonnie can't help you?"

Damon shook his head and shrugged. "Some kind of witchy ju ju mumbo jumbo pact."

Jenny, frowning, held up a hand as if asking for patience, finally saying thoughtfully. "I imagine the witches would be Darcy and Kimme. They were close buds with Bree, like sisters. Before they attacked you in a town claimed by another witch there would be formalities."

"Claimed by another witch?" Stefan asked curiously. "I don't understand."

"I know this Bonnie you're talking about is a Bennett and the Bennett clan is highly respected in the witch world. Same thing – closed group. They mostly all know each other or at least heard of the family line. And she's got relatives that would back her. Those two aren't all that powerful and they wouldn't take a chance on messing with the Bennetts. But they got right on their side. A vampire killed a witch . . . . the Bennetts would stay out of it." Jenny explained.

Damon had gotten most of this from Lucy already but held his tongue not wanting to betray her.

"We're alone here Damon. We don't know any witches?" He looked at Jenny, as if asking, but she just compressed her lips tightly and looked away.

Damon impatiently waved a hand, confidently saying. "I'm not here for help. I'll take care of this. I want you go back to Mystic Falls and keep Elena there.

Stefan dismissed his words immediately. "Elena has people watching her. I'm coming with you."

Jenny stormed from the room.

Damon eyes followed her and then said tongue in cheek. "Well, that went over well."

Stefan's eyes had followed her and then turned back to Damon. "Do you think you were followed?"

"I have it on the highest authority I have a two day start." Damon replied.

"How do you kn . . "

Damon hushed Stefan with a finger to his lips and a toss of his head towards the door Jenny had stormed through.

"How did you find me?" Stefan asked for the third time.

"I was given the town." Damon, a self-conscious smile on his face, shrugged. "If I'm in your vicinity I always seem to know where to find you. Guess it's the baby bro mothering instinct."

Stefan ignored the comment. "I need to get some things in order. Can we hold off leaving until tomorrow?"

Damon nodded.

"Do you need the sofa?" Stefan asked next.

"No. I'll drive my car out of town in case anyone else learned where you've been hiding from the world. You'll be safer without me here, just in case." Damon smirked. "Plus I think you have some explaining to do."

He typed a few things on his phone and handed it to Stefan. Stefan typed a response and the phone exchanged hands several times.

As soon as they had their plan set up Damon got to his feet and sarcastically called. "Gotta go now. Nice meeting you. All my love to you Jenny."

A suggestion as to what he could do to himself, that was of course physically impossible, came from the back room.

"Don't make me wash your mouth out with soap now young lady!" was the playful retort as his brother pushed him out the door. Damon did manage however to secure the whiskey bottle before he was forcibly ejected.


	4. Parting is Nothing but Sorrow

Stefan walked slowly towards the tiny bedroom, stopping in the doorframe, arms outstretched, hands pressed against either side. Jenny was on the bed curled into a fetal position.

"Jenny." He said softly.

She sat up and he saw tear streaks on her cheeks. He hesitantly walked over and climbed onto the bed, taking her into his arms. She simply clung to him for a moment before she started to speak, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Do you have any idea why I stay in the godforsaken place?" She felt him shake his head.

"Because there's no other vampires here. Because I, plain Jenny Hanson, with the mousy brown hair, plain eyes, and a nose slightly too big for my face have you all to myself with no competition."

"Oh Jenny." Stefan's voice was so sad.

She half laughed, half sobbed. "Do you really think it was fate that I met you at the bus station when you ran away from Mystic Falls?"

She felt the little start he gave and looked up at him.

"Lexi wasn't just your friend. She was my friend too. I got turned by accident and my maker just dumped me. I wasn't pretty enough to appeal to him but at least he didn't kill me. Lexi stepped in and helped me."

She turned in his arms so her back was to his chest, her head under his chin, and she wrapped her arms over the arms that held her.

"We kept in touch over the years and she would talk about her best friend Stefan." She gave a sad little laugh. "I probably know more about you than your brother does. She would periodically run off to rescue you and I got interested in you. She loved you so much . . not the way she did Lee . . but as a friend. She was really protective of you."

She moved a little and tightened her grip on Stefan, who kissed the top of her head.

"I was curious. I wanted to see this Stefan Salvatore that she talked about so much. I was at that Bon Jovi concert that she took you to on your birthday. She told me about the big surprise she had for you so I went just to see you."

"I know you gonna think I'm crazy but I fell in love with you that night. I couldn't believe how handsome you were. And those shoulders and abs. I watched you dance all night long. After that I drove Lexi crazy pumping her for information about you."

"Lexi could tell I was infatuated and she tried to tell me as gently as possible that you weren't for me."

Stefan made a protesting noise but she just smiled.

"Oh, she was kind. She didn't say I wasn't pretty enough. She just warned me that there was a lot of competition for you and that your brother Damon made it unsafe for anyone to be around you. But she didn't have to warn me. I knew that someone that looked like me could never get someone like you."

"Stop it." Stefan protested. "Don't run yourself down."

"I'm not blind Stefan. Vampires are almost always lookers. That's why they're turned, cause someone wants them. I told you I was a mistake."

She was quiet for awhile. "When the grapevine said the Originals and Slayers were gone and it was safe to come back to Virginia the first thing I did was to go check on you. When I saw you at the bus stop, I couldn't believe it. Something told me it's now or never and I went up and introduced myself and made up that story about I was looking to get away and North seemed good."

She twisted and looked up at him, reaching a hand to caress his face. "You were so broken and so lost, you latched on to me like I was your savior and let me lead you up here."

He kissed her hand. "I don't know how I would have made it without you."

"Do you have any idea how lucky I feel to have you? How unbelievable it is to me?"

She cut off Stefan's denial with a hand to his mouth. "Let me talk."

He looked in her eyes and saw how serious she was.

"I've always kept it lighthearted between us. Never said I love you because I know you don't love me and I didn't want to scare you off."

Stefan turned away for a moment and then met her gaze, his honest green eyes miserable. "I do care deeply for you Jenny."

"Thank you for not lying to me." She gave a sad little smile that made his heart ache. "You see the first year you used to have nightmares every night. You would even call out her name."

"How . ." Stefan's question was cut off.

"I'm three hundred years old Stefan and your mind was so open and damaged. It was nothing to read your dreams. I used to quiet and reassure you and change them to something peaceful." Her eyes went dreamy. "I would stay awake and just look at your face and wonder how I could possibly be with someone so beautiful. I would just brush my fingers over the muscles in your shoulders and arms, gaze at your six pack stomach."

"Hey, why are you so hard on yourself?" Stefan protested, ignoring the comments about his looks.

"Really Stefan." Now her voice was bitter. "Are you going to tell me my brown eyes are anything other than dull brown. My thin lips are lush. My nose isn't too big for my face. My brown hair is not just plain brown. I could easily pass for a boy in dim light and I don't even get hit on in the bar unless the guys are really drunk."

She sighed and said. "I've always known that I would lose you one day. That it couldn't be forever. Do you know why I either drive by or stop every day at that statue of Jesus Calming the Sea of Galilee? You used to laugh at me but I would never tell you what I was doing and then you just got used to it?"

Stefan smiled tenderly at her. "Yeah, I wondered but figured you would tell me when you were ready."

"Because every day I tell the Lord that though I know I lost my soul and I'm dead to him I still want to thank him because I had another day with you."

Stefan's smile faded. "Oh Jenny, I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know. Please Stefan. Go to Mystic Falls and protect Elena. Your brother killed your best friend. Lexi and Bree were loved by everyone. There is no vampire that will stand with you. There is no witch that will help you. To stand with your brother is certain death. I would rather lose you to the woman you love then for you to get killed."

Stefan held her in his arms. "You're wrong about yourself Jenny. You're a special person." He kissed her and they made love tenderly, Jenny touching every inch of his body as if memorizing it.

She woke up the next day and as she feared his side of the bed was empty. There was a stack of cash and a note.

**I took some blood but left you enough for two weeks**

**Forgive me Jenny. He is what he is because of me. I can't let him face this alone.**

**Can't promise we'll make it through this but if we do I will come back to you.**

She swallowed convulsively several times and then got washed and dressed. She told herself sternly.

_You always knew you would lose him. Don't mope. Do something constructive._

He had left the car for her so she got in and drove through town to get to the highway leading to the city where their blood supplier lived. She needed something to keep her mind busy. As she drove by the old crumbling statue of Jesus Calming the Sea of Galilee she kept her eyes fixed on the road.


	5. Road Trip

Stefan raced to the edge of town and waited until Damon's car came to pick him up. Stefan bent to lift his bag, and Damon was suddenly in front of him, knocking him to the ground with a sucker punch. He got in a few good kicks in the ribs too. Not hard enough to break bone but enough to bruise.

Damon picked up Stefan's bag and popped the truck. He threw it in and slammed it closed, impatiently turning to Stefan, still lying on the ground stunned, blood smeared on his face from his busted lip. "Come on. We need to hurry."

Stefan shook himself and got to his hands and knees and then staggered up and opened the door on the passenger side. He slid in and his brother started the car moving before he had fastened his seat belt.

"What was that for?"

Damon turned to him, lips compressed with anger. "You left her. Have you any idea how you hurt her? How she needed you?"

Stefan turned away, shaking his head. He paraphrased Damon's words as if he couldn't believe his ears. "I hurt her?" He paused and then repeated. "Really? I hurt her?"

Damon growled. "How could you just run out on her after all she had been through? No explanation, no note."

"Did you ever stop to think how I felt Damon? She lied to me." His voice rose slightly. "You lied to me."

Damon shot him a quick glance but Stefan was looking down at the white knuckles on his tightly clenched hands.

Stefan's voice was raw when he spoke again. "Do you think I didn't know you were drinking each other's blood? Yeah, she admitted to it once but then you kept sneaking behind my back."

Damon swallowed and looked down.

"Did you really think I couldn't smell her on you and you on her? And then she denied the two of you were having sex." His lips twisted bitterly as he mimicked her. "I just needed a hug Stefan. We're just friends. How could you think we were sleeping with each other?"

He stared accusingly at Damon. "And you lied too. Nothing's going on Stefan. Just helping her with the blood cravings."

"It wasn't supposed to be that way. We agreed she would pick and the other would go away." Stefan shook his head. "I guess I could have taken it if she had been honest about it. Why lie to me?"

Damon defended her. "That agreement was made when she was human. Stefan she couldn't decide. She's a vampire. Her emotions were a mess. She didn't want to lose you. She needed both of us. The guilt nearly killed her when you packed up and left."

Stefan's laugh was so harsh it startled Damon. "The pain nearly killed me. The two of you took my heart and shredded it." He had to swallow before he could continue. "They say the only ones you really hurt for are the ones you love and I loved you two best."

His smile was painful as he turned his head towards his brother. "When Damon Salvatore says he's going to make your life a living hell he doesn't fool around."

Damon was quiet for a few miles and then he said softly. "I didn't want to lie or try to hide from you. Elena wanted it and I did what she asked."

Stefan laughed out loud so long and hard Damon thought he was going to have to slap him to bring him out of it.

"Good old Damon, who always did whatever Elena wanted. Like when he made her drink his blood before the moonstone ceremony so she would wake up a vampire. Are we talking about the same Damon here that came to blows with me because I always let her make her own decisions? That's rich. That's really rich."

Damon sighed deeply. "I know how it must sound but things change. I don't deny that I love Elena and I wanted to be the one she chose but I never wanted it to be this way."

"Well that's the way it went." Stefan said and turned to look out the window.

"Then, so why are you here?" Damon asked in a reasonable tone, truly trying to understand his brother's reasoning.

Stefan put a hand up and drew imaginary pictures on the window with his finger. "Because despite everything you're my brother and even after all you two have done I still love both of you. I wanna send you back to her."

Damon rolled his eyes. He hated talking about emotions. You didn't talk about them you showed them. He frowned and said. "I'd rather you go protect her. I can take care of myself."

"She'll be fine. I can practically guarantee you that Bonnie had her locked up somewhere with a spell the day after you left. She won't get out until Bonnie hears everything is settled."

Stefan's confidence made Damon's face light up. "Do you really think so?"

Stefan nodded. "I do. Trust Bonnie in this."

"Fan . . tas . .tic!" Damon felt much more optimistic now. He had been too worried about her to realize that Bonnie would contain Elena but when Stefan stated it the way he did, he knew it was true.

"So what's your plan?" Stefan asked.

"Haven't got one but I'm sure something truly awesome will come to me." Damon said airily.

Stefan just rubbed his temple with one hand, like he had a horrific headache.

They had traveled about an hour when Damon's cell phone rang.

"I was expecting this as soon as we got to where there was cell phone service. How you stayed in that armpit town for two years is totally beyond me." He told Stefan.

He pulled the phone out and pressed answer. "Hello. Could it be you?"

Stefan's eyes widened as he recognized Katherine's voice on the other end.

"I'm going to text you some directions when we hang up. Follow them and when you get to this so called airport you'll be met. You're going to be flying out of the standard routes. No flight patterns filed. There will be more than one flight on these puddle jumpers. Just go with whoever meets you. I need to move you around enough so that you can't be traced until the plan gets put into action."

"So there's a plan?" Damon asked wiggling his eyebrows at his stunned brother.

"Yeah. I'm also gonna text you a message to post on Craig's list. You can have Stefan do it . . . I assume Stefan came with you?"

"Yeah, he's beside me." Damon looked at his brother.

"Of course he is." The voice practically purred with satisfaction. "I so know you two."

"Have him forward all responses to my phone. I'll tell you which ones to answer. And Damon." Her voice was emphatic. "Do exactly as I tell you. Between the two of you, you couldn't plan your way out of a paper bag."

She cut the connection and Damon frowned. "Now that was downright rude."

Stefan replied. "True though. Pass the phone."

Damon flipped it to him and sure enough a couple of text messages came through. Stefan read the first one with the directions out loud to Damon and busied himself connecting to the internet with the information in the second one.

Damon let him work in silence. When Stefan was done and looked up Damon spoke quietly.

"She's a child Stefan. A confused, conflicted, guilt ridden, emotion enhanced vampire child. I couldn't hurt her anymore than she had already been hurt. To lose someone again, for her to tear us apart. She would blame herself. It's the only reason I deceived you."

Stefan hunched his shoulder away from his brother, rejecting his explanation.

Damon continued. "You know me Stefan. Balls on the line. I've always been right out there. Thrown it in your face when I've scored a point on you. Hiding is just not me."

Stefan didn't respond but he turned his head forward, obviously taking in what his brother was saying.

"Someone had to get hurt. There was no way it was going to be avoided. She was the fragile one and I made the choice to protect her."

Damon suddenly pounded the steering wheel. "Why didn't you confront me? Punch me or stake me? Why just run? Why didn't you fight?"

Stefan sighed. "I couldn't fight anymore Damon. I was going to lose it. Trying to control the blood cravings when my emotions were running so high. The two people that meant the most to me lying, betraying me. And guilt? Talk about guilt. It's my fault she died, Damon. My fault. Bad choice. All my choices go bad."

He pressed a fist against his mouth, perhaps to steady a trembling lip. "I always hurt everyone I love. What would have happened if I lost it and went ripper again? Do you think she could have handled that?"

Damon sighed. "I didn't know you were that bad. Why didn't you ask for my help?"

Stefan straightened up. "I can't keep running to you every time I have a problem."

"That's crazy. How many times have you come to my rescue? Why are you here when you don't have to be, if not to help me?" Damon was exasperated.

The phone beeped signaling incoming messages. Stefan dutifully forwarded them to Katherine. After several moments he received a text telling him which one to respond to and what to say.

He was busy for ten minutes.

When he was done Damon asked curiously. "Have you been in that little craphole town the entire time? Bonnie couldn't trace you. She could tell us you were alive but not where."

"Yup, went straight up there from Mystic Falls. Jenny was going and I went with her." Stefan answered, calmer now.

"Why and why her?" Damon was clearly not impressed by Stefan's companion. "From Elena to her?"

Stefan smiled slightly. "She was good for me. The town was good for me. I was so torn apart inside . . . I just wanted to turn off the switch. Didn't want to feel anymore and I almost didn't care if the ripper came back."

He looked out the window, maybe seeing something far away. "She could tell I was losing it. She talked me into mixing animal blood with a little human until I could get myself together."

He said proudly. "I've been on all human blood for around eight months now."

Damon barely suppressed a laugh. He sounded so like his little human brother bragging to his big brother when he had finally learned how to use a slingshot. Damon had spent a lot of time teaching him and it brought back good memories. Instead Damon said seriously. "That's great."

Stefan continued to reminisce about Shreveport. "I loved the smell of that town. Low tide was so pungent. The seagull cries were so lonely. We did almost the same thing every day of the week. Work six days a week. Pick up mail, mostly bills from our post office box on Mondays and Thursdays. Go to the city to pick up blood once a month. Buy gas on Tuesdays. We knew everyone. I needed the routine."

He paused trying to gather his thoughts. "Jenny made no demands on me. No guilt over her choices when the biggest one was whiskey or bourbon. I had nightmares constantly when I first went there. Usually I was at the bridge and making a choice but it didn't matter what choice I made. Sometimes I picked her and sometimes I picked Matt but it was always the wrong choice."

He swallowed. "No matter what I did I lost her and you both hated me."

Damon reached a hand over and gently punched his brother in the shoulder. "She never regretted you saving Matt's life."

Stefan grimaced. "I did. If it wasn't for Jenny I would have gone crazy. She just told me she used to direct my mind when I had those nightmares."

He shook himself. "Anyway, they stopped about a year ago. The last six months I've even gotten a little perspective on one of the reasons I left."

Damon glanced sideways at him, curious if Stefan was going to tell him what the reason was.

Stefan leaned his head against the window, thinking. Finally without looking at his brother he quietly said.

"I guess it was my way of making it up to both of you. Getting out of your lives and letting you be together. My apology to both of you for the mess I made of both your lives."

Damon compressed his lips together for a moment and then let out a deep breath, obviously calming himself down.

"If we live through this, which I doubt, but if we do I promise you I am going to kill you for being not only the world's biggest martyr but also the world's biggest idiot."

Stefan opened his mouth but Damon quickly cautioned. "Not another word or I swear I will stop the car and beat you senseless."

The rest of the trip was passed in silence. They made it to the tiny hanger. The place was too small to call an airport but it did have a runway and two planes. When they pulled in a guy walked out and looked them both over. "Damon and Stefan?"

"Yup." Damon opened the trunk and pulled their bags out. The guy took them and put them on a tiny little plane.

Stefan was busy forwarding the next set of responses to Katherine. She immediately responded with the next contact and message. He took care of it before they climbed into the tiny plane.

Damon's sarcastic comment let Stefan know he wasn't happy with the size of the plane. "Katherine provides only the best for us."

Since these were his first words to Stefan in more than two hours he felt safe in answering. "Yeah, so speaking of Katherine, we both know she does nothing without a reason so I have to wonder why she's helping you?"

Damon smiled. "Don't worry. When she wants us to know she'll tell us."

The plane took off and the two just sat back and relaxed the best they could, having no idea how long they were going to be traveling.


	6. Plans within Plans

At the end of the fifth plane ride there was a rental car waiting for them.

Damon just muttered. "Thank God. I hate those tiny planes."

Stefan shrugged. "Fun to fly though."

Damon, surprised, turned and asked. "When did you learn to fly?"

"In the nineties. Just little planes like these but it was great. Want me to drive?" Stefan asked.

"No." Damon slid behind the wheel while Stefan plopped their bags in the back. As he got in Damon took off.

Stefan saw directions taped to the dash and they were at a motel within the hour. Damon went to check in and came out with a card key. "Katherine had it all arranged. Have to admit the girl is thorough."

Stefan didn't comment. He was just eager to get to the room and shower, feeling dirty after all those hours traveling.

"Manager said he would send someone with extra towels." Damon added.

No sooner had they closed the door to their room then there was a knock. "Maid." Was the bored announcement. Damon cautiously opened the door and a blonde woman, dressed in an oversized uniform top and jeans slouched in with a stack of towels. She didn't dawdle, just ducked into the bathroom and quickly left closing the door behind her.

Stefan dropped his bag on one of the chairs while Damon threw himself on one of the two king sized beds and picked up the remote.

"I feel a breeze. Did she open the wi . . " He stopped stunned, gawking, as the blonde woman who had just left reappeared from the bathroom.

A familiar voice taunted. "You are such a bunch of trusting fools!"

Damon looked up and he and Stefan simultaneously said. "Katherine?"

She pulled off the blonde wig and shook out her hair, walking to the mirror to make sure it was properly fluffed out. She pulled off the baggy uniform top to reveal a sexy tank top. "My stuff is already in the drawers. Sit, both of you. We need to talk."

"How did . . " Katherine cut off Damon. "I opened the bathroom window when I put in the towels and then went into the next room and slipped outside and through. You never know who's watching. Now we have maybe an hour before you're traced so you have a decision to make."

Stefan pulled out one of the chairs next to a little table and sat. Katherine gracefully hopped up on a low bureau and Damon sat up on the bed.

They looked between them and Damon said. "Talk Katherine. You've been calling the shots so tell us what's going on."

"I don't have to tell the two of you that I always know what's going on and I always have plans within plans within plans. I can get you out this mess Damon but if I'm going to do it you have to trust me and you have to move fast."

Stefan crossed his arms and looked at the floor. "And since we know you, we, of course, know there's a price for everything you do. So what is it?"

Damon shot a glance at his brother and then turned his attention to Katherine. He caught her smirk and knew Stefan was right. "Of course you want something Katherine. What is it or are you going to make us fall in with your plans and then kill us anyways to get what you want. Are we your new wolfboys?"

"Nope." Katherine smiled. "There's a price tag on this plan. You pay it and I take care of the rest. You deny me and I blow this place and you're on your own. For a short time that is. Once they kill you then you don't have to worry about being on your own." The last sentence dripped with sarcasm.

Damon looked up at the ceiling. "Don't leave us in suspense. Whatta we gotta do?"

Katherine said very quietly. "Same deal as with Klaus. I get Stefan for ten years."

Stefan, who had been studying the floor, jerked his head up, shocked.

Damon looked flabbergasted and then jumped up. "No way is he paying for me. What else do you want?"

"Nothing else. My way or the highway." Katherine said. "I do like that phrase by the way."

Though she spoke to Damon her eyes were fixed on Stefan.

"Why should he do that?" Damon argued.

"Well, first of all he should agree pretty soon because unless we put my plan into motion you will be tracked and if the vigilantes after you start coming they may not change their plans. If this doesn't go exactly as I want it to I can't save you." Katherine playfully swung her legs like a child.

She asked Stefan. "Gonna rescue big brother one more time?"

"Why?" Stefan asked softly.

"I've told you in the past and you haven't listened. You're not going to listen now, so why waste time asking?" She said reasonably.

Damon continued to protest but Stefan ignored him. He merely said. "You may save him once. What's to keep someone else from coming for him?"

"Stefan, no. don't listen to her. We can come up with a plan." Damon argued.

When the two of them turned stunned gazes on him he got defensive. 'Hey, not all of my plans were bad!"

"Name one that actually worked?" Katherine demanded.

Stefan turned his attention back to Katherine. "Will you protect him not just now but if anyone else comes after him?"

"I won't need to if you let me put my plan into action, but to make you feel better, yes I will. Now make up your mind!" Katherine was insistent.

"Yes, if . . IF you save him I'll give you ten years." Stefan promised.

Katherine warned. "I want your company for ten years. No turning it off Stefan. No hiding inside yourself. No escape attempts."

Stefan nodded agreement. Katherine looked closely at him and read acceptance in his eyes.

Damon was beside himself but Katherine jumped off the bureau and was in front of him holding up her phone. On the screen was the last text message Stefan had forwarded her.

"Damon, do exactly as I tell you." When he tried to looked away she grabbed him. "Remember your brother will die with you trying to protect you and your precious Elena will be by herself."

"No I take that back!" She had an arrested expression on her face. "I'll be here. Now doesn't that make you feel better? No one between me and Elena?"

Stefan urged him. "Call first and get her plan in motion. Then we can argue when we have time."

Damon frowned, wanting to refuse, but the mental image of Elena left at the mercy of Katherine made him give in.

"Call this number. Say you need a witch to help you with a little problem involving another witch and a vampire. When she, yes it's a she, asks how you got the number, you say a friend put you in touch with a friend and so on and so forth. Let her know it took a lot of contacts to get to her and act confused."

"Say you're worried about the witch. You have vampire friends but you really need a witch's help and you're able to pay. She'll ask why a witch is after you and you say there was a little misunderstanding back in Atlanta and someone accidentally got killed."

Katherine stressed. "I don't want you to say immediately who you are. Atlanta is a good enough clue. If she insists say your name is Damon but don't give your last name. Say you want to stay anonymous and if she can't help can she recommend someone who will. Let her tell you where and when you'll meet."

Katherine stopped and waited for a moment. "Now Damon!"

Damon punched the keys and was soon speaking. Katherine and Stefan listened quietly. Katherine smiled with satisfaction and nodded a couple of times. They could clearly hear the other end of the conversation and when Damon hung up they had a date and time for three vampires to go meet the witch on the other end."

"Satisfied?" Damon asked when he cut the connection.

Katherine smiled and raised her arms joyously, twirling around. "Absolutely. I could kiss you, you were so good."

Damon smirked and said. "Natch."

Stefan, standing now, arms folded, his brow wrinkled asked. "What did Damon just accomplish?"

"Set up a trap for us to walk into." Katherine said breezily. "I have a couple of bottles of whiskey. There's ice in the freezer and glasses behind you. Let's talk the rest of this out."

Stefan shook his head while Damon muttered. "I definitely need a drink. Make that drinks."

Katherine got out the bottle while Damon filled the three glasses with ice. When the glasses were full they pulled out the table to make room for everyone and sat down. The third chair was vacant. Stefan just stood looking at them.

Damon patted the empty chair. "Sit bro. Might as well hear her out."

Stefan sighed, walked over and sat down. He grabbed the glass and tossed down half of it. Damon immediately topped it off. "I think we're going to need a lot of booze to get through this."

Katherine assured them. "Not to worry. I have this all planned out."

"Is this something really devious and convoluted?" Damon inquired.

"Of course." Katherine said looking very superior. "all my plans are."

"How did you know someone was after Damon?" Stefan asked.

"I have contacts all over and I'm everywhere. This isn't the first time I've had to disguise myself. A lot of people owe me and feed me information. I knew eventually someone would try for a payback. It was just a matter of looking for the signs." She shrugged. "Plus people can't keep their mouths shut. I knew I would get a tipoff when it was coming."

"How are you going to deal with the witches and this new witch?" Damon asked.

"See that's the beauty of this plan. I happen to have some witch contacts." Katherine said.

"As good as Lucy turned out?" Damon couldn't resist the taunt.

"Unlike you two I learn from my mistakes. What was almost my downfall in Mystic Falls in 1864?" Katherine asked.

Damon shrugged, unwilling to play up to her but Stefan said quietly. "Vervain. You drank my blood and it almost ruined everything."

"Right Stefan. And what did I do?"

"You drank it every day after that so vervain doesn't affect you." Stefan met her eyes.

"And so . . "

Stefan interrupted Katherine. "And so a witch with a conscience and a sense of family was your downfall with the moonstone. I would imagine you found a witch or witches that were more reliable."

Katherine smiled and blew him a kiss. "Right. I'm not like you two, blundering from crisis to crisis. I plan. I gather resources. I found a witch or two who didn't mind trading services with a vampire. So much better then tricking them into owing me."

"Do they have consciences?" Stefan's lips twisted.

"Not a shred." Katherine responded gaily.

"So you have one of those witches helping you now." Stefan looked puzzled. "But why? Why are you paying to help Damon?"

Damon only half kidding said. "Are you going to sacrifice my brother at a black mass ceremony? Turn him over to them?"

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Really Damon? No, this witch has an agenda of his own. What I put together will satisfy both our goals. He, ah shall we say, has an issue from the past with the witch who is trapping you so that the grudge gang can kill Damon. We work together and kill two birds with one stone. That's why I directed you to this witch. She vaguely knew Bree but is friendly with the witches that are after you. She would be more than happy to help them since you" she pushed a red painted fingernail gently into Damon's chest. "are almost universally despised, which is so absolutely convenient."

"Plans within plans within plans." Stefan grudgingly admired her intelligence,

"More than you know Stefan. There's more at stake here but it's between me and my contact. Let's just say it is your unbelievable good luck that this so neatly aligns with our ultimate goals."

"Then why do you need my brother?" Damon looked her squarely in the eyes. "This has to be getting you something else."

"I want what I want Damon." Katherine pouted. "I've told you both before. Besides." She said in a reasonable tone. "If I rescued you for free from every mess you get yourself into there's no incentive for you to reform."

"Remember, this way you get to go back to Elena immediately and help her." Katherine smirked knowing she had the upper hand here. "Your brother only has ten years."

She looked at Damon not Stefan. "He'll have a much better time with me than Klaus. I won't damage him."

Damon was still unconvinced. He drummed his fingers on the table, ready once again to aruge his brother out of this.

"You could go back to Elena and I could do this alone." Damon suggested. "I can still think of something."

Katherine took no part in the discussion. She knew neither brother would ever let the other one face death alone. She was content to pour more whiskey and let them fight it out. She knew it was a done deal from the beginning. She couldn't help a little self satisfied smile as the argument between the brothers raged around her. She knew when she told Damon where Stefan was that he would turn to Stefan to protect his precious Elena and she knew that Stefan would never let Damon face his attackers alone.

_So predictable those boys. It wasn't even a challenge. The challenge would be sleeping on the same bed as Stefan that night. He might opt for the floor!_

The thought tickled her and she couldn't help a little laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Damon was looking at her and she realized she had totally blocked them out.

"Nothing! So are you done bickering?" She asked brightly.

"Yeah." Damon said reluctantly. "I think he's an idiot but we're going through with it."

"Good. I want the shower first. Damon, you take the bed you were on. Stefan and I will use the other."

"I can sleep on the bed with Damon." Stefan immediately responded.

"No you can't." Damon was vehement. "Guys don't sleep in the same bed." He wagged a finger at his brother. "You signed up for ten years and I'm betting she doesn't want you around to carry her packages when she goes shopping. Better get used to it."

"Fine." Stefan countered sourly. "I'll sleep on the floor."

She chuckled as she pulled her tank top off and draped it over Stefan's head on her way to the shower. Damon's snort of laughter followed her into the bathroom.


	7. The Script

Katherine had packed a few items in the trunk before they left. They parked the car in a small commuter lot and walked through the woods to another street. Damon idly noted the foreclosure sign on the front lawn. The drapes and shades were drawn but there were lights on in the house. Katherine, carrying a large canvass bag, had led then into the backyard and they quietly slipped into the house through the open door. She led them to a family room in the back of the house.

There was a weird smell in the room and smoke spiraling up from an ash tray on a long, low coffee table. Sitting behind the table was a tall lean man. At least it looked like a tall thin man. He wore an all encompassing hoodie that covered the upper part of his face and fell down his hands so only the short clean fingernails showed.

"Katherine, me dear." The man greeted her. "On time as usual."

Damon and Stefan stood just inside the room but Katherine sauntered over to a sofa set at right angles to his chair. She nodded at the smoke swirl. "I gather it's safe to talk?"

"Yes." He confirmed. "I did a silence spell."

"Won't the neighbors question the lights?" Damon asked.

"No." The man replied. His voice had a lilt to it, like English might not be his birth language. "The lights are on a timer so as long as no one makes a shadow on the drapes in the front of the house we'll be fine." You couldn't really see his facial expressions because of the hood but the mouth betrayed amusement. "Katherine found the house. That's why I like working with the darling girl. She thinks of everything."

He gestured. "But please gentleman. Sit." He invited.

Damon took the chair opposite the man leaving Stefan to sit next to Katherine on the sofa.

"No introductions?" Damon asked.

Katherine started. "This is . .

"Oh, no need." The man interrupted. He pointed to Damon. "That would be Mr. Damon Salvatore, the elder and the gentleman next to you would be Stefan the younger."

"And you are?" Damon inquired.

"Ah, I prefer to keep my name out of this." The man steepled his fingers, relaxed.

"It's better that way." Katherine confirmed.

"So, you get to see our faces and know our names, but we don't get your name. I should at least be able to see your face."

The man shrugged. "Not fair I suppose, but that's the way it is."

One moment Damon rushed him and the next moment he was pinned to the wall, spread-eagled, his shoes at least two feet off the floor.

The man turned to Stefan who was sitting back relaxed.

"Mr. Salvatore, the younger, you don't want to give it a shot?" The man inquired. Katherine had also never moved, just throwing an impatient look at Damon.

Stefan calmly replied. "No. The last time I thought I could rush a witch it ended very badly for me. I'll just sit this out."

Katherine snickered while the hooded witch laughed and then asked. "Well my dear, you did predict the hotheaded Damon would try something like this. Do you think now that I've demonstrated my power he'll behave himself or do I need to hurt him?"

Before Katherine had a chance to respond Damon offered. "I believe I got it out of my system."

Damon immediately crashed to the floor. Trying to preserve his dignity as much as possible he got up and sat back in his chair.

"Now that the formalities have been taken care of let's compare notes, me dear." He ignored the two men speaking directly to Katherine.

Katherine spoke clearly and succinctly. "All my sources confirm three vampires. Lee and James, both under one hundred years. Jeremiah is about three hundred and seventy five years plus or minus five. He'll be the biggest threat from the vampires."

The man was serious now also. "Agreed. I received the same information."

Damon's eyebrows rose. "And you got this information how?"

He was totally ignored as Katherine resumed talking. "Only two witches are coming from out-of-town. Bree's close friends Darcy and Kimme. The word is that they're not that powerful."

She raised an eyebrow at the hood seeking confirmation.

The man snorted. "Quite correct. Darcy and Kimme. Two second rate witches. I'm actually surprised they were capable of mastering the simple art of giving a vampire an aneurysm. They're from family lines famous for their mediocrity.

He paused, turning his head towards Damon, and added. "As was their dear friend Bree of course. Can't believe you actually thought she could break the tomb curse." His voice turned taunting. "But then from what I understand you realized that quick enough and dumped her."

Damon's eyes narrowed angrily but he didn't comment which drew a little chuckle from under the hood.

Katherine impatiently broke in. "And now we come to Lilibet McShane Smith. She owns the house. Husband is deceased and the children, grown now and not living at home, did not inherit her talent but she is a force to be reckoned with."

The hood nodded. "She is indeed. She will be the problem. She has accumulated quite a collection of grimmoires and paraphernalia and is powerful enough to easily handle all three of you. But that's why I'm here, right me darling?"

Damon couldn't help himself. "You have a brogue . . must be Irish. So how did a McShane, which must be her maiden name, end up married to a Smith?"

"Long story me lad, but that English blood is probably why her children are nulls." He turned back towards Katherine. "You're quite right. The children have no talent."

Stefan quietly asked. "Is there a plan on how to attack or do we improvise?"

Both Katherine and the hood turned to him. Katherine looked at him, her expression clearly indicating his question was stupid, while the hood exclaimed. "Are you crazy man? We are working with Katherine Pierce. It's why I love the dear girl. Everything is scripted like this is a play."

Damon and Stefan exchanged glances and Damon just shrugged.

"Have you got it?" The hooded man asked.

Katherine gave a little pout. "Did you doubt me?" She dug out a little pouch from her pocket and placed it on the table in front of him.

He held his hands over it, not touching the pouch. "Of course not! I felt it as soon as you entered the house." He gently upended the pouch and an amulet on a rawhide leather string slipped out.

The man reached down to the floor on the side of the chair and pulled up a gleaming short sword, laying it on the table.

Both Damon and Stefan, curious now, leaned forward.

Katherine spoke. "This has to go exactly as my friend here says. No deviations. No hesitations." She looked hard at Stefan. "No mercy, do you understand? Lee will be there tonight. If he escapes we will be hunted down and killed. You follow instructions exactly or we will lose." She emphasized each word.

Stefan nodded reluctantly. "I understand."

She didn't bother to caution Damon. She knew he would go for the kill.

The hooded man spoke again. "Katherine speaks the truth. If you try to intervene and save someone I'll take you down myself."

Stefan's head came up. "I understand. We're committed. No backing out. I'll do what has to be done."

The hooded man seemed to search his face because after a moment he nodded satisfied.

He instructed. "You stand at the door until all of you are invited in. Let me stress that again. . . all of you. Under no circumstances should one of you enter alone. Insist and she will let you all in. She will be confident that she can handle you."

He looked to all three faces and got nods of agreement.

"Go in as quickly as possible. You'll be in her living room and stay in a group. She will do an aneurysm spell almost immediately. You will pretend to succumb."

Damon interrupted. "Pretend?"

The hood pointed to the amulet on the table. "You will be protected with a spell."

"Let her talk until the other five are in the same room." The hood seemed to think for a moment. "We'll let Mr. Salvatore the Younger handle the two incompetent witches. You'll know who Lilibet is so just go for the other two women. Snap their necks as quickly as possible. They'll be easy pickings. They'll have so much confidence in Lilibet they'll be totally unprepared." He shrugged. "Actually Lilibet is that good and if it wasn't for me you'd be mush brains sprawled on the floor. Once you kill them head for the other vampires and keep them off Katherine."

The hood turned towards Stefan. Stefan interpreted that as a request to confirm he understood his job.

"Will do."

The hood nodded and turned to Katherine. "Do you know who this Jeremiah is?"

Katherine confirmed. "I've seen him from a distance so I'll be able to recognize him."

"Go straight for him. He'll be the strongest, of course but you should be a match. Try to not get staked until Stefan can come help you."

Katherine's smile was devilish as she pulled up the loose bag she had brought with her and placed it on the table. She took out some very familiar looking gadgets that shot wooden stakes.

"Did you steal these from Alaric?" Stefan accused.

"Of course I did." Katherine said archly. "They were awesome. Besides he's dead. Doesn't need them anymore." She passed a set to Stefan and one to Damon, then strapped one on her arm, covering it with a jacket she pulled out of the case.

The hood chuckled appreciatively. "Now those look lethal for a vampire."

Damon, strapping his on, and adjusting it, said. "If you know how to use them, they can definitely accomplish the job."

"You never cease to amaze me Katherine." His voice expressed sincere admiration.

Katherine preened at his tone.

The man witch now turned to Damon. "Mr. Salvatore, the Elder. I've assigned you the hardest job. Lilibet."

Damon nodded, listening carefully.

"Follow my instructions exactly. You'll have this short sword inside your jacket. Pull it out, ripping off this covering and go for the neck. It won't work of course but it will distract her."

Damon saw a patch on the sword and asked. "Why is it there?"

"It blocks a magical sign. As soon as you pull it off she'll feel it and it will grab her attention."

The hooded man leaned forward. "Do . . NOT . . go . . for . . her . . heart!" He emphasized each word with a jab of his finger. You cannot get her there and she will have you and you will die. Plunge your hand into her belly and pull out a string of her intestines. Then go help Katherine."

"Shouldn't I finish her off?" Damon protested.

"Absolutely not! The shock will block her power. Do not kill her. It is important that she survives for awhile." Damon couldn't see his eyes but he could feel the intensity of his gaze through the hood material.

His voice was low and dangerous. "Do you understand me? If you kill her I'll kill you."

Damon's eyebrows rose but he just said. "Got it."

Katherine who had remained quiet for awhile now spoke up. "When they're, ah shall we say, neutralized, you and I head upstairs and we split what we discussed previously.

The hood sighed deeply and reluctantly said. "A deal is a deal."

"And the amulet comes back to me until you .. " She stopped and rephrased her words. "until we settle up completely."

"Yes, my dear. Have you no trust?" He was clearly amused.

"I just like to make sure there are no misunderstandings."

Stefan speaking for the first time since acknowledging his instructions asked. "What do we do now?"

Katherine answered. "We wait until we have our appointment with one Lilibet McShane Smith."


	8. The Killing

While they waited Damon picked up the short sword, carefully placing it so the tip was held by his jeans and the rest confined by his leather jacket. He practiced pulling it out, making sure he was both comfortable and fast.

Katherine looked up and said. "Time to prepare."

The hood nodded and stepped around in front of the coffee table. "The three of you line up and kneel on the floor in front of me."

Katherine immediately knelt and Stefan and Damon cautiously joined her. The man picked up the amulet and clutched it in his hand. He shuddered as if an electric current ran through him. He gave a lower murmur of satisfaction. "She's a thing of beauty Katherine. This alone is probably worth all of this."

Katherine slyly replied. "But there's so much more."

He didn't reply; just began chanting, the cadence and tone sounded familiar to the Salvatores. They had heard language akin to this when Bonnie had cast spells.

He placed the amulet on each of their heads. They felt like something oozed through their pores and slowly penetrated into their skulls. It didn't hurt exactly, more like their heads were carrying an unaccustomed weight.

When he was done the man witch carefully put the amulet back in the little pouch. Katherine immediately put out a hand. He paused for a moment and then dropped it in her open palm. She quickly tucked it back in her pocket.

"Are we ready?" She asked. Both vampires nodded. The four of them exited the house through the door they had entered. It was dark and the hooded man lightly held onto Katherine's arm as they walked through the woods back to their car. Katherine got behind the driver's seat and drove to an isolated driveway not that far away. The hooded man got out without a word. Damon looked at Katherine who whispered. "Lilibet would sense his power. We're on stage now. Act your parts."

She drove down a long dark driveway until she came to a cute little house. The front porch light was on and the light coming from the windows looked inviting.

"This looks like the house." Katherine said. She poked Damon in the side.

"Yeah, yeah it does. Do you really think she can help us?"

Stefan joined in. "She said she would. We should be okay."

Katherine nodded approvingly. They knew the vampires inside could hear their every word.

The three got out and walked up on to the porch together. They bunched up and stayed alert just in case they were attacked outside. Both Katherine and the man witch were positive that Lilibet would invite them in and then prevent them from leaving with a spell but Katherine had warned them to stay vigilant just in case.

Damon knocked on the door and it opened. The middle aged red haired woman with pale skin and a smattering of freckles across her nose talked through the screen door.

"Damon?" She inquired.

"Yup. I'm the one that called you." Damon confirmed. "I'm the one that needs help."

"Then I invite you in." She opened the door but Damon didn't move.

"You can come in." She said as if he didn't understand.

"Not without my friends." He refused.

"You want me to let three vampires into my house?" She asked. "I would be greatly outnumbered." Her lilting voice was calm and reasonable.

"We can talk here then." Damon countered. "We don't need to come in. Either you can help me or you can't."

She sighed and said to Stefan. "Who are you?"

"Stefan."

"Stefan you can come in." She invited.

"All of us." Katherine insisted.

The woman looked at them for a moment and then smiled. "All three of you may enter my house."

She stepped back and they rushed through together. They were in a good sized living room and they clustered in the center.

The woman calmly examined them and held her hands out slightly and mumbled a few words. The three vampires had no trouble recognizing the words as a spell.

"You cannot leave this house." Lilibet spoke directly to them. She raised her voice slightly. "Come in now."

The three pretended to be surprised. Damon asked. "What's going on? You said you'd help me?"  
Three men armed with wooden stakes and two women stepped into the room and stood in a row.

"It's time for you to pay for what you did to Lexi and Bree." Stefan and Damon recognized Lee as the speaker.

"Lee. Please don't do this!" Stefan spoke quietly. Katherine laid a cautionary hand on his arm and squeezed hard.

One of the women spoke up. "He's gonna pay for what he did to Bree. We have nothing against you Stefan or you." She addressed Katherine. "But he's going to pay."

Lilbet spoke up. "If you two stay out of it you won't be harmed."

"Not a chance!" Stefan countered.

Lilibet's chin rose and they could feel her spell beating around their heads. They all clutched at their heads, fake crumbling away from each other, moving closer to their targets. As they moaned and appeared to collapse the group of five separated. The woman moved towards Lilibet while the three men approached the seemingly crippled vampires.

Everything happened at once.

Stefan rushed the two women as soon as they were separated from the men and got between them, snapping one's neck and cracking the other one's skull with a hard punch.

At the same time Katherine snapped off a short wooden stake from her arm holster at one of the younger vampires, just missing his heart. He crumbled from the pain. Then she and Jeremiah were grappling, Katherine turning his body so Lee couldn't attack her from behind. They wrestled for control of the long stake he had aimed at her.

Damon pulled out the sword slipping off the patch. Lilibeth's eyes widened and she stepped back. Damon swung at her neck and as the hooded witch warned she was able to block in. He came in close and plunged two fingers into her lower belly pulling out a loop of her intestines. She gave an agonized cry and collapsed to the floor, hands trying to cover the hole in her abdomen.

Stefan turned and fired a stake into Lee's back while Damon's found the heart kill on the vampire that Katherine had just missed. He sped over grabbing the stake that fell from the vampire's rapidly graying hand and plunged it into Jeremiah's back, piercing his heart.

Stefan rushed over and grabbed the thick wooden stake from Lee's hand, rolling him over, ready to plunge it into his heart. He hesitated when he caught Lee's eyes.

Lee whispered. "Do it! This life is nothing without her."

Damon, catching sight of Stefan's face, pulled the stake out of Jeremiah and started towards Lee but Stefan beat him to it and plunged the one he held in his hand into his friend's heart. He watched as Lee's face and body slowly marbled and grayed.

Damon protested. "Why didn't you let me do it?"

Stefan's voice was tired. "Because you always do the difficult things. You've always stepped in when it's the tough decision to make or the hard thing to do."

He looked at his brother. "'I'll have to face Lexi for this one."

Stefan slowly sank to his knees and then to a cross-legged position. He pulled Lee's body partly onto his lap and gently closed the eyes.

Katherine, a smug smile on her face, was checking the others to make sure they were really dead. She was totally satisfied with the way the evening had played out. She loved it when her plans went off without a hitch.

The hooded witch, carrying a metal can, casually walked in and looked around. He walked over to where the red haired woman writhed on the floor. He stood over her, his head held so she could see his face.

"You!" She moaned.

"Did you think I wouldn't pay you back?" He tilted his head. "Did you really believe me when I said we could let bygones be bygones."

"I'll make sure your death is felt by all." He promised her. He knelt and mumbled a spell over her stomach. "This will keep you from bleeding to death."

"No." She pleaded. "Just let me die."

"Oh, you'll die alright. That I promise you." He got up ready to finish what they had planned.

The hooded man looked from a jubilant Damon and Katherine high fiving each other to Stefan's tear streaked face as he held Lee's grey veined body in his arms.

He called to Damon. "Are you sure your mam didn't play your da false? How could you possibly be brothers?" He sounded sincerely puzzled.

Damon shrugged and spread his hands helplessly. "I sometimes wonder about it myself?"

The man witch jokingly asked as he moved to go upstairs. "Ever think about DNA testing? You could get blood samples from your living relatives."

Damon was pulling Stefan up to his feet and shot back. "Small problem there. I killed all of them."

The hood swiveled from Damon to Katherine who was already walking up the stairs. He muttered to himself. "Guess it's true opposites attract and likes repel."

The man witch held out the metal can to Damon. "Accelerant." He explained in answer to Damon's unspoken question. "We need to torch this house. Do you know h .. . "

Damon quickly interrupted him. "Leave it to me. You wouldn't believe the massacres I've had to clean up after my brother."

The man's head jerked up and he again looked from Stefan to Damon. "You two are certainly a puzzle." He then quickly climbed the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Katherine called to Damon before she disappeared upstairs. "When you're done get Stefan into the car and keep him there."

Damon and Stefan sat in the car for only about ten minutes before they were joined by Katherine and the hooded man. They each carried a bundle. Katherine opened the door on the driver's side popping the trunk. They both put their bundles in and Katherine rushed back to slip into the driver seat and start the car.

The hooded man raised his hands and chanted loudly. The house burst into flames. He jumped into the car and Katherine sped away but not fast enough to prevent the vampires' keen hearing from picking up the scream of terror.

Damon jumped. "She's alive, shouldn't we . . "

"No." The hood swiveled back towards him. "I prolonged her life for this."

Damon looked stunned. It was Stefan, hand shielding his eyes, who spoke quietly. "You're forgetting your history Damon. When a witch dies a violent death by fire her spirit marks the spot." He sighed. "Every witch that comes around will know this was no accident. Word will spread very fast."

He dropped his hand. "This is why you're sure Damon will be safe. No one will think he did this. They won't know who helped him but they'll know it was someone with real power. This will spread like wildfire. No vampire will mess with him. The witches won't be concerned with him. They'll be afraid for themselves." He sounded very tired.

Katherine looked in the rearview mirror at him. "Very good Stefan. When you're on the trail you never get distracted. You get right to the important points."

Damon asked. "He's right then?"

"Oh yes, he's definitely correct." The hooded man confirmed. "That's mine." He pointed out a gray van and Katherine pulled up next to it. He got out saying "We'll be in touch." Before he slammed the door shut.

Katherine immediately left and got on the highway as quickly as possible. "Where are we headed?" Damon asked.

"As far away as possible. We'll stop when we get to Tennessee. We'll need to wait about a week for the word to spread. We'll check the usual lists and forums and then you can go home to Mystic Falls." Katherine promised


	9. Clearing the Air

A week had passed, the grapevine was buzzing, and it was time for the group to split. Damon was headed back to Mystic Falls. Katherine told Stefan to stay behind and wait for her at the hotel. She wanted to talk to Damon alone. He agreed without argument, saying he would find something to do. She noticed that the courtesy hotel envelope and writing paper were missing but she made no comment.

Stefan walked Damon out to his rental car. Katherine has just driven away. They stood in the cool night air, facing each other, silent. Finally Damon shrugged and looked away. "Never know what to say . . . but thanks . . . . and sorry." He looked back at Stefan. "I didn't want this. Any of this . . not the stuff in Mystic Falls . . not you doing this."

Stefan sighed. "I know. I . . I couldn't . . ah, it's only ten years. Maybe when we see each other again we can be friends."

Damon nodded and walked away. Stefan called after him. "I still owe you a sucker punch and a couple of kicks."

Damon, turned, smiling broadly. "You can try and deliver little bro. You can try." Stefan returned the smile and shoved his hands in his pocket while he watched Damon get in his car and head out to where Katherine had told him to meet her.

The two vehicles arrived within minutes of each other. Katherine didn't get out until Damon's rental car pulled up behind hers. They looked at each other for a moment before Katherine turned and leisurely strolled out into the meadow they had parked in front of. Damon good naturedly kept pace with her.

So, you called this powwow, what's it about?" Damon finally asked, his curiosity overcoming him.

"I want you to know that Stefan will be safe with me. I'll keep him on human blood and I'll make sure he can handle it. No rippers allowed!" She gave an amused chuckle. "Wasn't there a phrase way back when about living long and prospering? He will."

Damon frowned. "Why are you bothering to tell me this? I could care less about Stefan. He made this dumb agreement after I told him not to."

Katherine put a hand on his arm and spun him around to face her. She wore that amused, knowing, taunting smile that he hated to be the butt of on her face. "You're trying to fake the world's best faker, Damon. Really? How come when you take your revenge you take it out on his girls? Wasn't there a Callie Gallagher that actually saved you but you killed her and not your brother? And was it chance that you killed his best friend, not that the wench didn't deserve to die, mind you? The person he always turned to in times of trouble . . .hmmm! Someone who didn't know better might be fooled into thinking that your aim was to leave him no one else to turn to but you!" Her tone was a little sarcastic when she uttered that last phrase.

Katherine started to count off on her fingers. "And when Klaus took him, who went after him, even though it put the woman he loved in danger? And wasn't there a story about how you stormed a house full of vampires to pull out your little brother?"

"Hmm!" Katherine pretended to think hard to remember something, and counted off a third finger. "Didn't you kill Abby Bennett even though Stefan was supposed to just to spare him? Didn't you step in when Klaus took Elena to try to save the day for your brother? Didn't you refrain from telling Elena you loved her cause you thought your brother deserved her?"

Katherine nodded her head wisely. "Wow, I must admit you are one uncaring brother."

Damon looked discomforted and tried to think of a rebuttal but nothing came to mind. Katherine thoroughly enjoyed her little victory and started walking again, smirking.

She finally relented, saying. "Okay, Let's say you don't worry about your brother but I just wanted you to know he'll be fine."

Damon nodded with less than good grace. "Fine." He said shortly. "Is that it? Are we done?"

"No, there's more." Katherine answered but didn't immediately elaborate.

Katherine and Damon strolled silently side by side. He was suddenly startled to realize that she had stopped and was looking at the moon, a fond smile on her face. He was baffled by it, since he knew her smiles; sarcastic, evil, knowing, superior, sexy. But fond? Just wasn't in her repertoire. She was confusing him.

She stood still, gazing upward spellbound at the sight of that moon, the same exact size as **that** night. Even the dark clouds flew by just as swiftly. Memories came rushing back to her.

"_I have a carriage waiting for you." She nodded, ready to make her escape and then turned. She wasn't able to help herself. She rushed back to the prone figure on the ground and knelt next to him, gently caressing each side of his handsome face. _

"_I love you Stefan. We will be together again. I promise you."_

_She tenderly kissed the lips that were already going cold._

Damon brought her back to the present. "Are you moon struck?"

Katherine laughed and resumed walking, passing him. He caught up, matching her stride. "So what gives?"

"I needed to tell you some things Damon. Let you know the truth. Clear the air between us."

His eyebrows rose and his eyes rolled. Before he could get a sarcastic retort out she started speaking in an unemotional voice, walking as she talked, not looking at him.

"I did love you. We were kindred spirits. I recognized it immediately. Troublemakers, game players, high risk stakes takers. I knew you would adapt to the life and that we would have fun together. We would fight, and carouse, and make love, and cause trouble and we would never be bored with each other. You were also the most handsome man I think I have ever met in my whole five hundred plus years. Certainly your eyes are the prettiest I've ever seen. "

She smirked and shook her head as if contemplating what could have been.

"I still love you and I always will." She admitted.

"But not the way you love my brother." Damon couldn't keep a little bitterness from creeping into his voice.

"No, not the way I love Stefan and that's what I need to explain."

"Don't bother." He tried to walk away but she held him with a grip of steel on his arm.

"It's important that you understand." She was insistent and he couldn't break her hold unless he wanted a full out battle. He just wasn't in the mood for that right now so he gave in.

Damon shrugged and nodded, looking impatiently away from her. "Go ahead, if it will make you feel better. Talk yourself silly."

Damon was now the one who looked away as Katherine faced him.

Her voice was quiet and sincere.

"He was so naïve, so full of love when I met him. So eager to please. So earnest and trusting and honest. Honest, Damon. When he told me how he felt the night of the ball, he spoke from his heart."

"I remember his exact words to me. I can still quote them." Her voice softened. "I've never met a woman quite like you. I look at you and I see an angel. I touch your skin and my entire body ignites. I kiss you and I know that I'm falling in love."

Damon snorted and mocked. "So my little brother had one poetic moment."

Katherine shook her head. "No, you were poetic. You knew how to flirt and woo. You were experienced. How many woman or girls did you have before me? You were the ladies man."

Damon hunched an aggravated shoulder.

Katherine continued. "No games. He didn't know how to play games at that point. He only knew how to express what he was truly feeling from his heart. You and I played the games. We were experienced in the art and knew how to tease and bait."

Damon watched her face now as she spoke and it expressed her awe.

"The truth of his love, of his emotion, reached inside of me and found this part of me that was caged away behind this rusty old lock. The key had been lost a long time ago and no one could find anything that would fit it. That honest, open, naïve love was the key and it sprung the lock."

She still wasn't looking at him, her eyes were unfocused, seeing something that perhaps was only inside her. Her mouth twisted. "Inside was a frozen shard of seventeen year old Katerina Petrova who only wanted to love and be loved. Who expected to live a normal life. Who thought that she was loved and wanted to return that love. The girl who loved her family and never understood the significance of saving her own life until she came home to find the butchered bodies of her family on display for her.

She turned to Damon, her voice filled with wonder. "I don't know how he did it, but that girl lived again for a moment in the warmth of his love." She shook her head. "No one else has ever touched that part of me, rekindled that Katherina Petrova who once lived, and loved, and danced with life."

Damon looked away from the raw emotion on her face.

"There is nothing wrong with you Damon that you couldn't be first in my heart. It has to do with me. Like I said, we're birds of a feather. Birds of prey and I'm fiercer but we're too alike for you to ever be the key."

She reached over and gently turned his face to her, her touch caressing. "But always know that I did and still do love you. Katherine Pierce, vampire, loves you but what little remains of the human Katerina Petrova can only be reached by Stefan."

Damon shrugged, unable to speak past the lump in this throat.

Katherine's voice changed to her usual half mocking, half playful voice and she ran her fingers seductively up his chest. "The only reason Elena is still alive is cause I would never hurt you that way."

Damon matched her tone. "And it better stay that way cause I'll know who to come after."

They both seemed relieved to be out of dangerous emotional territory now; back to a semi adversarial relationship they were comfortable with.

"Let's go back." She turned and he followed. As they walked he said. "Take care of him. He's a pain but he is my baby bro." She squeezed his hand reassuringly before they parted for their respective cars.

She stopped with her hand on the door handle of her SUV and yelled. "Hey."

He turned and leaned against his car, arms folded waiting to hear what she had to say.

She gave him her best seductive smile. "When you get tired of that ninny come find us. We could all be good together."

Damon laughed and turned to get in his car. "You only have him for ten years. Do you really think I'm going to get tired of Elena in ten years and he's going to change that much."

Katherine made an exaggerated gesture, holding her hand to her mouth as if she had made a gaffe. In her best Southern belle accent she said. "Why Mr. Salvatore, how silly of little ole me. I just plain forgot for a moment that it was only for ten years."

The mischievous smile on her face as she got in her car alarmed him.

Damon stood frozen, his hand on the handle, watching her car driving down the road, listening to her mocking laughter for as long as she was in range of his vampire hearing.

When the laughter finally faded he got in his car, shaking his head as if he should have known better.

_Katherine and her games! _

Suddenly he smiled that lopsided charming smile that melted most hearts.

_But it's the games that make life interesting!_

He put the key in the ignition but didn't immediately start the car. He sat for a moment, thinking. His handsome, eternally youthful face hid a psyche that had taken a lot of hits over the years. He would never talk about them . . wasn't his way, but they were there and when he left himself completely open they were painful.

He probed deep in his mind for the one dealt him by Katherine Pierce. He hadn't checked it in awhile but he had always felt it as a raised, thick, puckered, still raw, red thing with underlying adhesions. It had been added to by each of her betrayals. He had grown used to the constant pain and pulling over the years. He searched for it now and found it had changed to a thin, white, flat, smooth faded line as if Katherine had somehow shaved it down and rubbed a soothing, healing salve over it. He knew it would always be there but it would never sting or tug at him again.

He smiled and turned the key in the ignition. It was time to go home to Elena and confront some things. His brother was in good hands. He could assure her of that and help her let go of her guilt. He knew without a doubt they would meet in the future and given time and some work they would become the friends they would have been if Katherine hadn't torn them apart.


	10. Final Payment

Eyes looked up as the door to the diner opened and a gorgeous brunette in skin tight jeans and super high heels entered. All the eyes that looked up remained trained on her. It wasn't just the swing of those seductively wide hips that caught their attention; it was the aura of confidence that surrounded her.

She stopped briefly and looked around, either unconscious of or used to the stares, until she spotted a tall, lean, red haired pale skinned man with a smattering of freckles across his nose in a booth at the back of the diner.

She headed towards him, slipping into the seat on the opposite side of the booth.

He was just finishing up a meal, an empty dinner plate set off to one side, and a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Hello Padraig."

"Can I order you something Katherine?" He politely asked.

"No thanks! Can't linger. I left Stefan waiting at the airport."

"Yes." He said thoughtfully. "Best to keep the dear lad out of this."

He folded his hands in front of him, elbows resting on the table. "I was just thinking as I was waiting. When did this start?" He frowned, concentrating. "Must be at least two years ago, right, when you asked me to block Stefan from that Bennett witch."

Katherine nodded. "That's about right. Why?" She asked curiously.

He gave her a measuring glance before saying seriously. "I have every confidence in my talent, my power but I could never have pulled all the little strings together the way you did to make this come out."

He tilted his head suddenly, struck by a thought. "You're like some kind of beautiful exotic spider spinning webs that go from bush to tree to plants and everything that goes by either gets caught in your snare or brushes against it. Every drop of information gets caught on a strand of silk and you sit in the center putting every vibration together."

She shrugged. "I do what it takes to survive."

"You are truly exceptional." He looked at her for a moment longer before he seemed to pull himself together and get back to business.

"We have a deal to conclude and final payment to render." He said briskly.

Katherine smiled. "So?"

Padraig took a sip of coffee. "I traveled to the wilds of the far North to a godforsaken town that no one in their right mind would ever live in and found one Jenny Hanson at exactly the time and place you predicted. I stunned her and wrapped her in a tarp. She wasn't a very big thing . . . easy enough to load her in my van. She unfortunately woke up just as the sun rose, in a clearing, on said aforementioned tarp, staked with vervain soaked ropes. Burnt to a crisp. I rolled her ashes and the charred remain of her clothes up in the tarp and dropped it all at the dump you told me about. You even had burning day right and I hung around until I saw the remains incinerated."

He smiled at her. "There's not a CSI team or witch in the country that could ever trace her."

A satisfied smile lit Katherine's attractive face. "Such a shame." She then asked. "Did you find what I asked you to look for?"

He chuckled. "It was on her just as you predicted."

He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small folded square of paper, the grimy worn edges indicating it had been opened and refolded many times. He put it on the table and pushed it over.

Katherine delicately picked it up and carefully opened it. She read it silently.

**Jenny,**

**I can't come back for ten years but I will come back. Keep the PO Box in Shreveport and I'll write to you. When you have to move around send the forwarding address to Shreveport.**

**Just know I will come back to you.**

**Stefan**

Katherine' lips twisted scornfully and she crumbled the paper into a ball dropping it on the empty dinner plate. Padraig watched her face the whole time she was reading.

"Teensy favor Padraig. Burn it!"

He smiled and concentrated. As the paper caught fire and burned his waitress rushed over.

"What are y . . "

Katherine caught her eye. "You sent this man burnt food. Apologize immediately and take it away. Make sure you don't charge him for your stupidity."

The waitress apologized over and over again, red faced. As she grabbed the dinner plate she exclaimed. "Don't worry sir. The meal is no charge."

"Now that compulsion thing you vampires do is really nice." Padraig admitted. "Not worth losing my power for, but it is nice."

He took another sip of coffee. "Are you satisfied?"

"More than you know." Katherine replied. Padraig eyed her smug little smile with amusement.

Katherine, without being asked, pulled a small familiar looking pouch out of her pocketbook and pushed it across the table.

He quickly grabbed it with a covetous hand and fingered the object inside through the pouch. He closed his eyes briefly and then quickly stuffed it in his shirt pocket.

"You are a pleasure to do business with my dear."

Katherine toyed with a curl. "I feel the same way." She pursed her lips. "I hope this is just the start . . that we can continue our business association. We work well together."

Padraig nodded. "We trust but not too much and we both know the cost of betrayal." If his words held a threat it was only a hint.

"I am impressed that you stuck to the terms we agreed upon even though I know that you wanted some of the things I took."

Padraig nodded at her words and spoke slowly and thoughtfully. "I assumed since you can't use them that you took them to use as payment for future needs?" He raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

She confirmed. "You're quite right. I never know when I'll need a witch and it is so much easier to barter than to trick."

Padraig picked up his cup with both hands and looked at her over the rim. "I would hope you would come to me first." His tone made it as question.

Katherine assured him. "Though I always keep my options open, after this little, ah, deal, you would always be my first choice. And to convince you of that I brought you a present."

Padriag, taken by surprise, put down his coffee cup.

Katherine, smiling mischievously, reached into her large designer handbag and pulled out a wrapped package. "With my compliments."

She handed it to him. He looked at her uncertainly for a moment. She laughed softly and put it on the table and pushed it across to him. He held his hands a couple of inches over it, eyes hooded, as if concentrating, trying to feel something. He gradually lowered his hands until he touched the wrapping paper.

He tore it open and then stared at the old book inside. He looked up to see Katherine watching him.

He slowly opened the cover and his mouth formed an oh as he read a name.

"Is this . . ?"

"I have it from a reliable source that this grimmoire contains anti-aging spells and herbal preparation that slow down the aging process. It was compiled by a witch in Chicago named Gloria."

"Lord love you me darling girl! Can it really be?" He reverently flipped the fragile yellowed pages and a covetous smile spread over his face. "Gloria's grimmoire."

Katherine nodded, smiling knowingly. "The old bat looked good. If you can decipher them then you're going to be one studly hundred year old man."

He took a deep satisfied breath. "I'm surprised whoever told you what this was, let it go."

"Not willingly." Katherine admitted. As he met her eyes she added. "Fortunately they died soon after."

Padraig let out a bark of laughter that made some of the other patrons turn briefly to see the cause of his amusement. When he stopped laughing he shrewdly observed. "This couldn't have been her only grimmoire."

He tapped his forehead thoughtfully. "If I remember correctly certain interested members of her family went to go through her things and found a lot missing. Books, rare herbs, potions." He paused. "Amulets."

Katherine made a noncommittal gesture. "Chicago's a tough town and with this bad economy there's a terrible increase in crime."

"True." He mocked. "Must have been a robbery gone bad that killed her."

Katherine nodded soberly. "Pity."

He leaned back laughing quietly, eyeing her with admiration. "I just know we're going to have a long and mutually beneficial association." He touched the book. "I won't forget this." He said seriously.

Katherine smiled. "I really have to go now."

She started to slide over but Padraig held up a hand. Surprised, she stopped and waited.

"Forgive me, but I have to ask."

Katherine raised an eyebrow, curious as to what he wanted to know.

He looked away for a moment as if to gather his thoughts and then turned back to her. "I had no problem removing that vampire Jenny for you. But why? You are one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen . .

Katherine interrupted him smiling seductively. "Yet you've never asked to have sex with me!"

He laughed out loud and reached over, picking up her hand to kiss it. His eyes momentarily filled with desire. "As beautiful as you are me love and as much as I want you I am too smart to sleep with a creature that could pull my heart out as easy as I could swat a fly. It's important to stay in control around vampires and I have a feeling you could make any man forget that when he's in your bed. Besides you were very generous to compel that blonde model for me."

"Any time." She laughed and started to slide out.

"That was a very clever way to distract me by the way."

Katherine sighed and flung herself back against the seat. "So what's bothering you?"

"Why?" He said. "Why waste time killing that woman, who could at best be called plain. Body like a young boy. And that nose? Why waste your time?"

Katherine looked at him challengingly for a moment before she nonchalantly responded. "I just don't like loose ends. They come back to get you."

"I see." Padraig nodded understanding. "I feel I'll definitely learn from our association."

He had one more comment to make. "I do kind of feel sorry for your Stefan though. From what I hear every woman he's ever been with except the Original sister and that doppelganger has died. One who can't be killed and the one the brother loves. Shame really."

Katherine, without replying, slid out of the booth. "You know how to get in touch if you need to?" She asked as she stood.

"I do me dear. Have a good flight."

"We will."

As she sauntered out Connor watched all the male and some female heads turn to watch her.

He signaled the anxiously watching waitress to fill his coffee cup.

As she topped if off he put it to his lips and took a sip, laughing silently.

_Stefan, me poor lad, you will never be free of that woman. I hope you realize you signed up as a lifer_.

Under his breath he murmured. "The good Lord have mercy on the man or woman who comes between Katherine Pierce and her man."


	11. Sins of the Past 11 Epilogue

~ Two Years Later ~

It was the slow time at Bertie's when people were getting out of work. Linda was doing double duty as waitress and bartender. Gracie, the current bartender, would come on to help her in another hour.

The little post office closed early today so Sam came in for a quick one. Linda caught Sam's eye as he sat on a barstool and called out. "The usual?"

He nodded and held a hand up to confirm. Linda expertly poured a draft beer and walked over setting it down in front of him.

"How's it going?" She casually asked.

He had news he was bursting to tell someone. "Another letter came for her today!"

Linda's eyes widened and she leaned on the bar prepared for a good gossip session with Sam.

"Same handwriting? Was there a return address?" She eagerly asked.

"Oh, it's from him all right. Got the usual 'please forward' written on the front." Sam took a big swallow of beer, the foam framing his lips. He wiped them with the back of his hand.

"That's the fifth one now." He nodded knowingly.

The two of them looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously. Sam's nose quivered with excitement while Linda just looked sad.

"I don't get it Sam. I just don't get it. Doesn't make sense."

Linda and Sam had the same discussion every time a letter came but they didn't mind rehashing it. Nothing much ever happened in this town. This was still news.

Linda reminisced. "She was so sad the first day she came to work without him. She didn't talk about it . . . didn't cry. It's like she had shrunk in on herself. It's like there was no life left in her."

Sam took up the story. "And the day that first letter came. I was there. She just stared at it and her hands were trembling. She tore it open, dropping the envelope on the floor. Never cared and she was such a neat little thing. Her whole face lit up. 'He cares' she said. Heard her plain as day. 'He cares'. She practically danced out the door."

Linda said. "I remember Sam. She was so happy that night. Sue and I knew something had happened. She kept taking it out and unfolding it and reading it and folding it back up. She always kept it on her. Either in her jean pocket or her shirt. Never a day went by but she didn't have that letter."

They both sighed.

"I picked the envelope up off the floor, not that I was prying." Sam said virtuously. "It was just to clean up and I happened to notice the handwriting. No return address but it was canceled in Tennessee. It's the same handwriting that's on every letter with never no return address. The stamps are from everywhere though."

"Of course you weren't prying." Linda lied. Everyone knew Sam read everything that wasn't sealed tight.

"But I do remember that handwriting. Specially when she disappeared." Sam continued.

Linda reminisced. "I thought for sure she had left to follow him. Everyone knew how crazy she was about him."

"Everyone thought it until the next letter came." Sam took another gulp of his beer.

"I sure hope Jenny's okay. She was a good one." Linda frowned.

"Everyone liked Jenny." Sam confirmed.

"Sue and I used to talk about how her eyes would follow him while he worked." Linda smiled. "She'd get this funny little smile on her face when she watched him. We liked to tease her about it and she would get all embarrassed. Sometimes I think he heard us cause he would catch her eye and smile."

The door opened and a couple of guys came in. Linda shook herself and headed off to the back room to get another keg of beer.

Sam returned the greetings from the guys who had just walked in. He picked up his beer and walked over to their table, eager to share his news. Jenny and Stefan had become part of the town's history.

~ FIN ~


End file.
